Epigenetic Effects in Livestock Breeding

Abstract

Epigenetic effects are considered as a mechanism of the emergence of new inherited traits with their transmission between generations through meiosis. Modern genomic evaluation does not explain the entire phenotypic variance of traits. It is quite obvious that a significant part of the unaccounted dispersion reflects epigenetic effects carried out through DNA methylation, histone and chromatin modifications, and activity of noncoding types of RNA. Epigenetic effects could potentially be used in breeding programs. The obtained data testify to the significant role of epigenetic factors in the expression of imprinting genes, cellular processes, development of muscle tissue, and fat metabolism in animals. The ability of various additives in the diet to induce epigenetic modifications with phenotypic variability has been convincingly proven. However, there are still many contradictions and limitations in the justification of the hereditary component of epigenetics for introduction into animal breeding. Development of modern technologies, such as chromatin immunoprecipitation with microchips of DNA (ChIP-Chip), next-generation sequencing (ChIP-Seq), and epigenomic editing based on CRISPR-Cas9, gives grounds for optimism in solving problems of introducing epigenetic phenomena in livestock breeding.